What the Pharisees Missed!



Image result for jesus heals on the sabbath

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” 4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
Today the Pharisees continue to look for new ways to discredit Jesus' ministry.  Their paranoia is reaching new heights.  Jewish Sabbath laws were originally intended for the people to have rest from work and time to worship God and rejuvenate their physical and spiritual lives.  The Sabbath was a way for people to trust God to provide for them in their livelihood, while they "re-created" themselves.   
But by this time the Pharisees had attached so many do's and don'ts to the Sabbath that they had completely missed the point.  We see the insanity in today's lesson when a man with a deformed hand shows up in the synagogue.  The Pharisees were lying in the wait to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath to accuse him of being a lawbreaker.  They were completely oblivious to man in their midst that needed a Sabbath from his disease.  The telltale moment comes when Jesus heals the man's hand and it is completely restored.  Instead of rejoicing with the man for God's healing him through Jesus they look for a way to kill Jesus.  
While this story seems ludicrous I wonder how we can miss the point of God's laws. Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man made for the Sabbath."  Meaning God gave the Sabbath to give us life not take it away.  The Pharisees used the Law to protect and preserve their power and authority.  When Jesus showed them the intent of the Law was to free people from sin and sickness, they grew indignant.  At the root of their sin was pride.  They used the authority God had given them to prop themselves up and keep the people down.  The moment we use our power and authority pridefully we have become like the Pharisees.  The minute our ministry becomes more about us so that we miss the people right in front of us we have become like the Pharisees.    
Let's not be like the Pharisees.  Let's not be so focused on the Law that we forget grace.  Let's not get so caught up in self that we miss out on what Jesus can and is doing right in front of us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more